Isha prayers held at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Isha prayers held at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Isha prayers held at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National
Isha prayers held at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Victor Besa / The National

Ramadan 2025 starts on Saturday


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Ramadan will begin in the UAE on Saturday, authorities have announced.

The Moon-sighting committee met in Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi, after maghrib (sunset) prayers on Friday and announced that they had sighted the new crescent moon. It follows a decision from Saudi Arabia that Ramadan would commence on Saturday after its committee sighted the crescent moon there.

Also read: UAE public holidays 2025

"As the holy month of Ramadan begins, I wish all those observing in the UAE and around the world a blessed month," President Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X. "Together, we pray for God to bestow His mercy on us and grant peace, harmony, and unity to all."

"I extend my warmest greetings to the people of the UAE, and Arab and Islamic Nations, as we welcome the blessed month of Ramadan," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, added. "May it bring peace, unity, and strength to us all."

President Sheikh Mohamed, Sheikh Mohammed, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed received congratulatory messages from leaders of Arab and Islamic nations on advent of Ramadan.

During the month, which lasts either 29 or 30 days, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all Muslims in good health. The start of the holy month is determined by each country's Moon-sighting committee. In the UAE, Moon-sighting attempts are held nationwide but not all manage to see the crescent.

The committee makes the final decision at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department after collecting all the reports from across the country. This year, for the first time, drones and artificial intelligence were used to monitor the crescent.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic – or Hijri – lunar calendar, because it is believed to be the month in which the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day of the holy month.

As well as abstaining from food and drink, Ramadan is a time when Muslims strengthen their faith through prayer and increased recitation of the Quran. Piety increases further during the final 10 days when Laylat Al Qadr is thought to fall. That night is believed to be when the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed.

It is traditionally celebrated on the 27th night of Ramadan but its exact date is unknown. The rewards for acts of faith carried out on this night are said to be more than those for 1,000 months of worship.

The best of Ramadan in 2024 – in pictures

  • Worshippers gather for Laylat Al Qadr prayers at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Victor Besa / The National
    Worshippers gather for Laylat Al Qadr prayers at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Victor Besa / The National
  • An Ethiopian man prays on the banks of Lake Karum, a salt lake in Afar Region, amid above-50° temperatures. AFP
    An Ethiopian man prays on the banks of Lake Karum, a salt lake in Afar Region, amid above-50° temperatures. AFP
  • Palestinians break their fasts amid the rubble of their destroyed homes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
    Palestinians break their fasts amid the rubble of their destroyed homes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • The faithful offer the final Friday prayers of Ramadan at Delhi's Jama Masjid. Reuters
    The faithful offer the final Friday prayers of Ramadan at Delhi's Jama Masjid. Reuters
  • A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters
    A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters
  • A Pakistani worshipper rests at a mosque in Karachi. EPA
    A Pakistani worshipper rests at a mosque in Karachi. EPA
  • An imam prays before iftar at Bronx's Masjid Ansarudeen in New York. AP
    An imam prays before iftar at Bronx's Masjid Ansarudeen in New York. AP
  • A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP
    A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP
  • Children pray outside the Hazratbal shrine in Indian Srinagar. AP
    Children pray outside the Hazratbal shrine in Indian Srinagar. AP
  • Indonesian children welcome Laylat Al Qadr in Ternate, North Maluku. AFP
    Indonesian children welcome Laylat Al Qadr in Ternate, North Maluku. AFP
  • V&A Dundee design museum in Scotland hosts iftar. Getty Images
    V&A Dundee design museum in Scotland hosts iftar. Getty Images
  • A worshipper reads the Quran at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. AFP
    A worshipper reads the Quran at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. AFP
  • Members of a motorcycle club distribute iftar in Damascus. AFP
    Members of a motorcycle club distribute iftar in Damascus. AFP
  • Palestinians being checked by Israeli soldiers as they head to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP
    Palestinians being checked by Israeli soldiers as they head to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP
  • A worshipper reads the Quran at Sanaa's Grand Mosque. Reuters
    A worshipper reads the Quran at Sanaa's Grand Mosque. Reuters
  • A Shiite cleric at the shrine of Imam Ali in the city of Najaf, Iraq. Reuters
    A Shiite cleric at the shrine of Imam Ali in the city of Najaf, Iraq. Reuters
  • Displaced Palestinians gather for iftar in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
    Displaced Palestinians gather for iftar in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters
  • People sit for iftar in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters
    People sit for iftar in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters
  • Students of an Islamic boarding school recite Quran in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reuters
    Students of an Islamic boarding school recite Quran in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reuters
  • A charity-sponsored iftar gathering in Manama. Reuters
    A charity-sponsored iftar gathering in Manama. Reuters
  • A young worshipper gets ready for iftar in Fass Boye, Senegal. Reuters
    A young worshipper gets ready for iftar in Fass Boye, Senegal. Reuters
  • Fruits and snacks on sale in Dubai's Gold Souq area on a Ramadan evening Antonie Robertson / The National
    Fruits and snacks on sale in Dubai's Gold Souq area on a Ramadan evening Antonie Robertson / The National
  • A worshipper reads the Quran while waiting for iftar at Grand Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. Reuters
    A worshipper reads the Quran while waiting for iftar at Grand Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. Reuters
  • A young worshipper covers her ears as the cannon goes off marking the end of the day's fast at Duba's Expo City. Chris Whiteoak / The National
    A young worshipper covers her ears as the cannon goes off marking the end of the day's fast at Duba's Expo City. Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • People gather in streets for iftar in Ezbet Hamada in Cairo's Matariya suburb. AFP
    People gather in streets for iftar in Ezbet Hamada in Cairo's Matariya suburb. AFP
  • A man dries vermicelli, a popular ingredient used to make traditional Ramadan delicacies, in Hyderabad, Pakistan. AFP
    A man dries vermicelli, a popular ingredient used to make traditional Ramadan delicacies, in Hyderabad, Pakistan. AFP
  • A displaced Palestinian boy waits for food in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
    A displaced Palestinian boy waits for food in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. AFP
  • Worshippers gather for iftar at Imam Hussein Mosque in Satwa, Dubai. Leslie Pableo for The National
    Worshippers gather for iftar at Imam Hussein Mosque in Satwa, Dubai. Leslie Pableo for The National
  • Worshippers offer Friday prayers at Jaamia Masjid in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. AP
    Worshippers offer Friday prayers at Jaamia Masjid in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. AP
  • Artists perform Sufi dance in Baghdad. AP
    Artists perform Sufi dance in Baghdad. AP
  • The faithful gather for prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP
    The faithful gather for prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP
  • Staff at Asateer tent of Atlantis The Palm in Dubai get ready to serve iftar. Pawan Singh / The National
    Staff at Asateer tent of Atlantis The Palm in Dubai get ready to serve iftar. Pawan Singh / The National
  • Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque during the first evening of Ramadan 2024. Victor Besa / The National
    Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque during the first evening of Ramadan 2024. Victor Besa / The National
  • Ramadan's inaugural Friday prayers at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
    Ramadan's inaugural Friday prayers at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National
  • An Egyptian traditional Ramadan drummer in the city of Dikernis, about 150km north of Cairo. AP
    An Egyptian traditional Ramadan drummer in the city of Dikernis, about 150km north of Cairo. AP
  • Taraweeh prayers at Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
    Taraweeh prayers at Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National
  • Saudis look for the Ramadan crescent moon in the southern Saudi city of Hautat Sudair. AFP
    Saudis look for the Ramadan crescent moon in the southern Saudi city of Hautat Sudair. AFP
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi

Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi

Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain

Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni

Rating: 2.5/5

RESULTS

6.30pm: Longines Conquest Classic Dh150,000 Maiden 1,200m.
Winner: Halima Hatun, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer).

7.05pm: Longines Gents La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,200m.
Winner: Moosir, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.

7.40pm: Longines Equestrian Collection Dh150,000 Maiden 1,600m.
Winner: Mazeed, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.

8.15pm: Longines Gents Master Collection Dh175,000 Handicap.
Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

8.50pm: Longines Ladies Master Collection Dh225,000 Conditions 1,600m.
Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.

9.25pm: Longines Ladies La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,600m.
Winner: Secret Trade, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

10pm: Longines Moon Phase Master Collection Dh170,000 Handicap 2,000m.
Winner:

Generational responses to the pandemic

Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:

Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.

Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.

Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.

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How to increase your savings
  • Have a plan for your savings.
  • Decide on your emergency fund target and once that's achieved, assign your savings to another financial goal such as saving for a house or investing for retirement.
  • Decide on a financial goal that is important to you and put your savings to work for you.
  • It's important to have a purpose for your savings as it helps to keep you motivated to continue while also reducing the temptation to spend your savings. 

- Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching

 

 

Company profile

Date started: 2015

Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki

Based: Dubai

Sector: Online grocery delivery

Staff: 200

Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends

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How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Classification of skills

A worker is categorised as skilled by the MOHRE based on nine levels given in the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organisation. 

A skilled worker would be someone at a professional level (levels 1 – 5) which includes managers, professionals, technicians and associate professionals, clerical support workers, and service and sales workers.

The worker must also have an attested educational certificate higher than secondary or an equivalent certification, and earn a monthly salary of at least Dh4,000. 

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home. 

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

What it means to be a conservationist

Who is Enric Sala?

Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.

What is biodiversity?

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m

Winner Bella Fever, Dane O’Neill (jockey), Mike de Kock (trainer).

7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Woven, Harry Bentley, David Simcock.

7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m

Winner Fore Left, William Buick, Doug O’Neill.

8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Rusumaat, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.

8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.

9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m

Winner Art Du Val, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Beyond Reason, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.

MATCH INFO

Day 2 at Mount Maunganui

England 353

Stokes 91, Denly 74, Southee 4-88

New Zealand 144-4

Williamson 51, S Curran 2-28

The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

Charlotte Gainsbourg

Rest

(Because Music)

Brief scores:

Kashima Antlers 0

River Plate 4

Zuculini 24', Martinez 73', 90 2', Borre 89' (pen)

Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion

The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.

Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".

The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.

He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.

"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.

As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.

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Updated: March 01, 2025, 10:45 AM